Afraid
by TheRandomPhangirl
Summary: A different kind of reveal. (No Phantom Planet) (One-shot)
1. Chapter 1

_ NO_. It wasn't supposed to be this way. How could he have let this happen? But here it was, practically staring him in the face. White swirls of hair drifted lazily in front of his vision. Strips of bright-blue rope crossed his field of view in a grid. Why did this happen? All he wanted to do was release Technus back into the Ghost Zone.

"We caught him, Mads!" His parents were standing in front of him, both oblivious in their excitement. His Dad slapped his Mom on the back playfully, almost knocking her off her feet. Though she somehow managed to retain her balance. All the Fentons had had to learn to weather the patriarch's strength, as he didn't know it himself. Danny's eyes locked onto his Mother's. Her gaze held such a swirl of hate and excitement, yet Danny couldn't find it in himself to make his usual attempt at comedy.

"We're gonna find out what makes you tick." Within an instant, his Mom was there. Crouched down and staring at him through the net like he was nothing but a new toy. Danny wanted to shred it. He wanted to run away, find a safe place, and cozy up with a blanket and play Doomed with his friends until he forgot what was happening. His eyes started watering and he couldn't do anything to help it. Danny curled in on himself as best he could as his shoulders started shaking.

The tears spilt over without his consent. His chest spasmed in wet hiccups. He couldn't even wipe his face, it was out of reach.

Maddie didn't know what to do when the eyes she was staring into were suddenly turning red and tears began to drip down his face. He started hiccuping, sobbing. He was pitiful.

"I- I do-don't wanna di-_die_," He cried, curling in on himself. Maddie's heart stopped. A quick glance to Jack showed that he was just as shocked as she. Maddie turned back to the boy, with huge tears streaming down his face, unable to even wipe them away. In this moment, it struck her. He looked so much like her Danny. He was almost a reverse image of the time Danny fell from a tree in the park and came running into her arms for comfort, and for her to kiss his scratches and make it all better.

And that was all she wanted to do for this small, quivering boy in front of her. She moved on motherly instinct, not a thought accompanied her actions. She slid the net off of the boy and gathered him in her arms.

"Shhh," She soothed. He held his breath for a moment, afraid. But then he dissolved in her arms and let her comfort him. Maddie ran her fingers through his white, wispy locks. They shied away from her fingers, almost floating. Her hand was cold, but it wasn't unpleasant.

"You'll be okay..." For a moment she couldn't believe what she was doing, but then he hiccuped again, sinking even further into her arms. Everything felt as though it was right in the world, though why was it that she thought she could feel a frantic heartbeat coming from him? She must just be feeling her own heart.

"Mom," Danny -_this Danny_\- cried. The puzzle pieces clicked together and suddenly everything made sense. The tears started to dry up, but Maddie's own sprung up in her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up through blurred vision to see Jack at her side, though she couldn't make out his expression. Maddie turned back to the figure in her arms and nuzzled into his ivory hair.

"Danny?" She asked breathily. A furious nodding was her only response.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mom," He'd cried out of instinct. He only realized his mistake when a small, teary voice managed to make its way out of his Mother's throat. A pang of anxiety shot through Danny's chest as he heard -more like felt- his Mother's breathing hitch.

"Danny?" She asked breathily. The boy couldn't do any more than nod and hold her as Maddie dissolved, regretful tears dripped down her cheeks as she went limp in Danny's arms, her own still wrapped around him. The halfa's eerie glow made the tears shine brighter on Maddie's cheeks when he looked up at Danny's father, then set her head on Danny's own.

"I'm sorry," She sobbed, holding the ghostly boy in her arms with her voice full of guilt, but there was something underneath it, as well. Love. A small smile passed Danny's face, but it was dashed when someone else spoke.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, kneeling down with his hand still on Maddie's shoulder. He looked at Danny with somewhat a look of contempt, as if he wanted to pry him away from Maddie. Was he really oblivious? It wasn't an act? Danny took a deep breath and pulled back the cold that spread from his fingertips, to his hair, to his toes.

"Watch," The teen -who was really little more than a child- said, heart still hammering in his ribcage. He'd already started the reveal train, why not keep it rolling? A shiver was sent rolling over Maddie's spine as rings erupted around the spectre's waist, and Jack almost leapt out of his skin. Danny watched his Father's face as his own vision darkened and the glow that had been streaming from his skin disappeared. Jack looked bewildered, whereas a moment ago he had been looking for a weapon. Thank goodness he hadn't realized there was one in his hand. He probably would've missed the transformation if not for Danny saying to watch.

Fenton replaced Phantom.


End file.
